James IIStuart, King of Great Britain was born on 14 October 1633 at St. James's Palace, St. James's, London, EnglandG.4 He was the son of Charles IStuart, King of Great Britain and Henriette MariedeBourbon, Princesse de France.1 He was baptised on 24 November 1633 at St. James's Palace, St. James's, London, EnglandG.5 He married, firstly, LadyAnneHyde, daughter of EdwardHyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon and FrancesAylesbury, on 24 November 1659 in a private marriage. They were remarried publicly on 3 September 1660, at Worcester House, The Strand, london.4 He married, secondly, Mary Beatrice Eleanora Anne Margaret Isabellad'Este, daughter of Alfonso IVd'Este, Duca di Modena and LauraMartinozzi, on 21 November 1673 at Dover, Kent, EnglandG.6 He was also reported to have been married on 24 December 1659 at Breda, The NetherlandsG. He died on 16 September 1701 at age 67 at Château of St. Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Île-de-France, FranceG, from a stroke.7 He was buried at Chapel of St. Edmund, Church of the English Benectines, Rue St. Jacques, Paris, FranceG.7 He gained the title of Prince James of England and Scotland on 14 October 1633.8 He was appointed Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) on 20 April 1642.4 He graduated from Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, EnglandG, on 1 November 1642 with a Master of Arts (M.A.)5 He was created 1st Duke of York [England] on 27 January 1644.5 In July 1646 he was committed to the custody of the Earl of Northumberland by Parliament.5 On 20 April 1648 he escaped from St. James's Palace, and made his way to the Hague, disguised as a woman.9 He held the office of Lord High Admiral [England] between 1649 and 1660, to the exiled King Charles II.9 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) before 11 August 1649.9 He held the office of Governor of Jersey between February 1650 and August 1650.9 He fought in the French service between 1652 and 1655, under Turenne.9 He fought in the Battle of the Dunes on 3 June 1658, where he earned distinction by twice charging home against the Cromwellian infantry, but could not break them.9 He was created 1st Earl of Ulster [Ireland] on 10 May 1659.9 He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of the Cinque Ports between 1660 and 1673.9 He held the office of Constable of Dover Castle between 1660 and 1673.9 He held the office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports between 1660 and 1673.9 He held the office of Captain-General of the Artillery Company of London between 1660 and 1688.9 He held the office of Lord High Admiral [England] between June 1660 and June 1673.9 He was created Duc de Normandie [France] on 31 December 1660.4 He was created 1st Duke of Albany [Scotland] on 31 December 1660.8 He held the office of Keeper and Captain of Portsmouth between 1661 and 1673.9 He was Governor of the Company of the Royal Fishery of England on 22 August 1661.9 He was admitted to Inner Temple on 3 November 1661 entitled to practise as a Barrister and Bencher.10 He was Chief Commissioner for the government of Tangier between 1662 and 1673.10 He held the office of Lord High Admiral of Dunkirk, Tangier and all foreign possessions in Africa and America on 27 February 1661/62.10 He and ArabellaChurchill were associated circa 1665.11 He and Hon.MargaretBrooke were associated. He was appointed Fellow, Royal Society (F.R.S.) on 9 January 1664/65.10 He fought in the Battle of Lowestoft on 3 June 1665, where his fleet completely defeated the Dutch. His flagship, the Royal Charles, sank the ship of the opposing commander, Admiral van Wassanaer.10 He fought in the Battle of Solebay on 28 May 1672, where he was surprised by de Ruyter, and fought a drawn battle with heavy losses on both sides.10 He held the office of Lord High Admiral [Scotland] on 1 February 1672/73.10 He was Generalissimo of the Forces, both Horse and Foot, against the Dutch on 26 April 1673.10 In June 1673 he was compelled under the Test Act [1673] to resign all of his offices.10 He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Scotland] on 18 May 1674.10 He held the office of a Member of the Council [Scotland] on 4 December 1679.10 He and CatherineSedley, Countess of Dorchester were associated.12 He held the office of Lord High Commissioner to the Parliament [Scotland] on 5 July 1681.10 He was Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company between 1683 and 1685.6 He held the office of Lord High Admiral [England] between May 1684 and December 1688.6 He succeeded as the King James II of Great Britain on 6 February 1685.13 He was crowned King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith on 23 April 1685 at St. James's Palace, St. James's, London, EnglandG.13 He abdicated as King of Great Britain on 11 December 1688.7 He was deposed as King of England on 23 December 1688.7 Prior to taking the throne, James had been Duke of York. Parliament knew that James was a Catholic but as he declared that he would protect the Church of England they decided to give him a chance to prove his word. James wished that Anglicans, Catholics and Dissenters should be treated equally but Parliament insisted only the Anglican faith should be recognised. In 1685, James the Duke of Monmouth (illegitimate son of Charles II by Lucy Walter) landed at Lyme Regis in a rebellion against James. He was defeated at Sedgemoor and executed on Tower Hill. Judge Jeffries was then sent to the West Country to deal with the prisoners at the Bloody Assizes and over a thousand were hanged or deported. James did not call Parliament for over two years and appointed Catholics to key positions. The whole country was alarmed at James's dispensations to the Catholics and many feared that another Civil War would start. James's opponents sparked off the Glorious Revolution by inviting the Protestant William II of Orange. In November 1688, William of Orange, who had married Mary, Charles I's daughter, landed with an invasion force from Holland at Torbay and the whole country came to his support. James was forced to flee and in December 1688 fled the country for ever. Parliament declared that James had abdicated (12 Feb. 1689). He made an effort to regain it later, but was heavily defeated at the battle of the Boyne in Ireland. He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.14